ic contact

The world we live in is in trouble. The companies are the ones in control of a government that doesn’t want to help its people. Kids are getting picked up off the streets and sold into slavery, and that’s not even the worst thing that could happen. There are superheroes here, like Superman, and Batman. But they can’t be everywhere at once, as hard as they try. They need help, but superheroes can’t ask for help. We can help. We need to take control back of this island. We need to make sure no one else dies out in the darkness. We have the time, the energy, and the know-how to do all of this. My name is Red Robin. If you’re interested in fighting against injustice and helping people, then come to Sector 11 on the 24th at 9:00 pm. The first meeting of the Teen Titans will take place there, and all questions will be answered. If you don’t want to join, no problem. This message will delete itself 30 minutes after being opened, no matter what you decide. - RR

The Hideaway in Sector 10 will be unaccessible this evening for the residents. I will be there, protecting as many as I can.

- Kuchiki

[She probably felt him arrive. Or the flare of his Spiritual Pressure shortly after as he sensed who remained here. But, he's still polite, and formal. So, a call before he barges into the house...]

Hinamori-fukutaichou.

[In her weakened state, she had thought it a mistake. Some magic that felt like him. But when the call comes through, and she hears his voice...]

C-Captain Kuchiki...

[And yet, it takes her only a moment to fall into old habits. A formal report for a returning captain:] There's no one at the house. Hitsugaya-kun—taichou—and I are at the hospital. The disease is still wide-spread. If you're—if you're okay, you should take precaution against it.

[She's operating on instinct. She doesn't really understand what's going on. She can't find the words to ask the obvious questions: Didn't you die? Why are you here? What did you do?]

[He pauses.]

You are ill?

Not badly. [A dry, hollow cough.] I'm not checked in as a patient. Hitsugaya-kun is.

I will return to the house. Perhaps you should as well.

[Come bring him up to speed. Because hell if he knows how long he's been gone.]

A-alright. I will... be there shortly, Captain Kuchiki.

[She goes to check on Hitsugaya once more. He's asleep, and doesn't look as bad as he's been. Perhaps just a few hours...]

[Then she returns to the house. It takes her longer than it normally would, exhausted as she is, but the fresh air actually does her some good, as does having something to focus on other than the possibility of Hitsugaya dying.]

[He'd known, from what she sounded like, that she hadn't slept much. Hitsugaya would not begrudge her sleep to keep her from being ill.

However, when she arrives, he doesn't look the same. Sleeveless haori outlined in gold - with tassels; his hair falling into his face with the kenseikan placed only at the back of his head. No scarf. He glances over.]

I do not have a key.

[She stops short at his new outfit. He went back. She knows it immediately, and it's almost all she can do to keep from "How? Why?" from her lips. (It doesn't occur to her—though it will later—that death might be the way out.)]

[She fumbles with the key, silent and perplexed.] There you go. [Said to the key, not Captain Kuchiki.]

[The house is cold, and dark. It's been left empty almost since the outbreak started. Seeing it, Hinamori finds herself embarrassed. She hadn't thought to keep it warm and inviting, but she feels now that it would have been her place.]

Thank you, fukutaichou.

[He steps into the house, ignoring the uninviting coldness of the place. He doesn't care. There are many things to do. So many things. He's also not wearing the gauntlets he normally had. (Those had gone to Rukia.)]

How long have I been gone?

[He immediately heads to start making tea. The jolt of coming here hadn't been any less just because he'd been here once and wasn't injured this time.]

[A slight bow in response to his thanks, and she follows him into the kitchen.]

[She freezes at the question, though. Don't you know? From her perspective, Captain Kuchiki and Hitsugaya had always been the knowledgable ones when it came to this place, and to... a lot of things. To have him here, seemingly unperturbed by his return, and yet to be asking her questions—it unnerves her. Was it a test?]

[She coughs, and clears her throat.] A week.

[She's dying to ask him questions, but she'll keep her silence until she feels he's through with his own.]

[Only a week. He is still a bit disoriented from the Pull. He's hoping that making tea will settle most of it. He keeps his back to her, wondering just how to explain everything.

But he can't. Not without telling her about Aizen and he'd promised Hitsugaya not to. He finishes the tea and hands her a mug. finally looking at her, he ticks up an eyebrow.

Ask.]

[The silence gives her time to collect her thoughts, so that when he meets her eyes, she's ready:] You went home?

[A small sip of tea. A small smile twitches his lips as his eyebrow climbs higher, mostly in amusement.]

I did.

[Hope. It shows in the slightest relaxing of her eyes, the faintest rise of her shoulders.] How long... how long were you there?

[A pause.]

Almost two years.

[A year and a half after the war, then... Ichigo regaining his power, Ginjou Kougo... Almost two years. In less than a week.]

Two years... [It was not an immeasurable length of time, for a shinigami, but the difference is still startling. Hinamori falls silent, then, biting her lip, asks the question she cares about most.]

Is... everyone alright? Rangiku-san, Kira-kun, Abarai-kun... how are they?

[He hopes the fact that she didn't ask about Aizen doesn't mean she knows. He hopes it just means that she thinks everything is status quo. However, there is one change he is very proud to announce.]

They are all well. Rukia is Ukitake-taichou's fukutaichou now.

[Yes, he's proud of her, dammit.]

[Well, she thinks Aizen is dead. Her steadfast hope that he might still come back anyway is not so foolish as to make her ask meaningless questions of superiors.]

That's wonderful news! I'm sure you're proud of her. And I'm sure Abarai-kun is happy as well.

[There's another long, thoughtful pause, and her face becomes a little sadder.]

Is my... is the Fifth Division doing alright? [She imagines after two years, they must have chosen a new captain. She didn't want to hear it, didn't want to hear that they had replaced Captain Aizen so easily, and yet... there's some hope in her that if her division as a whole can move on, maybe she can move on with them.]

[He hesitates for just a moment, looking into his tea. He did not, exactly, disapprove of Hirako Shinji being made Fifth Division's taichou once again, but he also wasn't sure it was the best idea, considering. Still, they'd needed three taichous - the strength of the Gotei 13 was in its tiachous and with three gone they were far too vulnerable - and there hadn't been anyone else.

Because he wasn't giving up Renji. Not that his fukutaichou would leave ~~he'd die without Renji, seriously~~ but the possibility had been there.

Still, he answers her question:]

Fifth division is in capable hands.

[There's no reason for her to avoid the obvious question.] Who... became captain?

[Another, almost imperceptible pause.]

Hirako Shinji.

Hirako... Shinji...? [Her brow wrinkles in thought. Not one of the vice-captains, nor the third seats, nor any of the nobles that she knew of. But that name... like the tinkle of a bell in the back of her memory. Where had she heard it before?]

[Then, after a moment, her eyes go wide.] You mean... Captain Aizen's captain?

[She smiles to herself, a little lost in her own world at the thought. What kind of a man could he have been, to bring up Captain Aizen so kind and strong and good? She was sure he was wonderful, just like her captain. ]

But I thought surely he was dead. I've never heard of him before, except when Captain Aizen spoke of him once.

[He can't tell her everything, because of what happened with Aizen.]

He was thought dead. Instead he was assigned elsewhere, by Yamamoto-soutaichou.

[It was the best lie he could come up with. He'd have to be sure to tell Hitsugaya.]

Ah. [It makes enough sense to her, given the complexity of the Seireitei.]

[Another worry occurs to her. Perhaps it was something she should have asked Hitsugaya-kun, but he had seemed so edgy when she brought up the past.] Is it... still my division?

[Her voice betrays how much more of a personal question this is. When she had left, she had been in holding for attacking Captain Ichimaru. Attacking a captain was treason. She would have hoped that her judgement would have been lenient, given the circumstances, but she would not have been surprised either if she had been demoted, or worse, discharged. Especially without Captain Aizen there to defend her. The Gotei 13 was not especially known for its kindness.]

[Byakuya looks up from his tea. He puts it down, and relaxes. This, he can answer.]

I would not honor you with the title of fukutaichou, if you did not hold it.

[It's him trying to be kind, and show that yes, she still has her position and he thinks she should still have it.]

[And she relaxes at his answer. She looks down, smiling to herself. It was all she had ever wanted, to be a good officer, a good lieutenant to the Fifth Division, to... to her captain. And even if her captain was gone, it made her proud that she had been deemed worthy to keep her command.]

Thank you.

[She looks back up again.] I'm sorry to ask so many questions. Are you sick at all, from the Pull? I remember I was, when I arrived.

[Byakuya is glad she understands. He picks up his tea again.]

I will recover. I will answer if I can.

ic contact

[text; batcryption]

[Note on the Kitchen table]

[Shortly after dawn - a call]

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